Pride News Canada's Leader In African Canadian & Caribbean News, Views & Lifestyle
By Chef Selwyn Richards
Cuisine Specialist
Today we will learn about another specific — and difficult — craving to overcome: caffeine. Although caffeinated drinks are a staple for many, here we’ll provide lots of alternatives to help satisfy those cravings.
Caffeine
From our first sip of coffee in the morning to a glass of tea with dinner, it seems we are constantly flooding our bodies with caffeine.
Photo credit: Tyler Nix/Unsplash.
Overcoming caffeine cravings:
* Get enough rest. Make the time to relax and get enough sleep.
* Change your wake up time and morning routine in small ways. Take a walk first thing in the morning. Drink room temperature water with a twist of lemon. Do simple stretching to wake each part of your body.
* Use positive affirmations to begin your day.
* Switch to decaffeinated alternatives, like flavored water or herbal tea.
* When the craving for caffeine hits you, do something different or drink something different. If the craving comes first thing in the morning, grab a bottle of water and go for a run instead.
* Don’t drink caffeine simply because everyone else is. Make a conscious effort to make a better choice.
* Drink sparkling water if you crave soda.
* Boost your B vitamin intake. B vitamins are what your body uses to metabolize the food you eat and are essential for the production of energy. Upping your B vitamin levels can help you do away with caffeine, if you crave it for the energy boost. Try eating more lean meats, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fortified grains.
Alternatives to caffeine:
* Water, sparkling water, flavored water;
* Decaffeinated versions of coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks;
* Herbal teas, such as ginseng;
* Teeccino caffeine-free herbal coffee;
* Yerbe Mate;
* Green tea;
* Licorice tea;
* Wheatgrass juice
* Reishi Mushroom tea;
* Rooibos tea.
Selwyn Richards is an award-winning master chef. He is also the President and Executive Chef at The Art of Catering Inc. and is the author of “The Art of Cooking: Soul of The Caribbean”. Chef Selwyn can be reached at: selwyn@theartofcatering.com or by phone — (905) 619-1059.
